Apple Hill Farm

In 1890, a man by the name of Ezekiel Emerson acquired a half-century old home in a state so dilapidated it might make @cheapoldhouses think twice. With no HGTV in sight, the modest farmer rolled up his sleeves, and spared no expense in bringing his humble home up to snuff.

He transformed the Greek Revival dwelling into an ornate Queen Anne Style abode with a six-bay porch to get a good view of his cornucopia of crops. You see, as much as he was a handyman, Ezekiel was known for his “if we can grow it, we’ll grow it” attitude. He tried his hand raising corn, oats, potatoes, later adding cows for milk while nearby maple trees provided the sap for syrup. Ezekiel also planted the literal seeds of the farm’s namesake fruit, but it wouldn’t be for another century that a future owner would pick the new, red-delicious “Apple Hill” name.

Decades after Ezekiel had gone to the big orchard in the sky, a Southern New England couple happened upon his handiwork and felt the compound could work well as lodging for nearby skiers – and well, it has pretty much stayed that way since. Over the years, the couple also discovered the nearby apple trees. They marked the discovery with a name change, adding simple white letters on the barn to notify the public where they could not only hit the slopes but also help keep the doctor away.

🖼  Available as a collectable, limited-edition art print